The Structure and Habits of Spiders. 107 



dark spot in the middle, which cover the out- 

 side of the egg ; and larger ones that occupy the 

 inside. Fig, 63, e, shows an egg at this stage, 

 where the large inner cells show through the 

 layer of outer ones. Fig. 63, f is a section of 

 the same egg. The stages shown in b and c 

 are seldom clearly seen, because the divisions 

 are crowded together and too opaque ; but d and 

 e can be watched in any common spider's eggs. 

 The rate of growth varies according to circum- 

 stances. Some eggs laid in autumn develop 

 slowly all winter, while others laid in summer 

 are ready to hatch in a fortnight. 



In the eggs of the long-legged cellar spider, 

 laid in June, in about four or five days the young 

 spider becomes lengthened out into a sort of 

 barrel shape ; and six whitish rings run half way 

 round it, on each of which appears soon after a 

 pair of little knobs, one each side, Fig 64, a. 

 These are the six segments of the thorax, and 

 the six pairs of limbs ; and their gradual growth 

 is shown in Fig. 64, b, c, d. In a there is no sign 

 of a head or abdomen, except the more opaque 

 ends of the embryo ; but shortly after there 

 appears an opaque knob at one end, Fig. 64, b, 



